Pilot burner shields



1965 w. J. KUHN ETAL 3,202,202

PILOT BURNER SHIELDS Filed July 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

F I G- 2 3 Q 0 /2 /2 20 }4 Z ZZ,

4i INVENTOR.

WILLIAM J. KUHN 3 PAUL E. MAURICE ATTCJRNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July29, 1963 INVENTO WILLIAM J. KUHN PAUL E. MAURICE at the desired time. ismounted in a position adjacent the main burner.

United States Patent 3,202,2tl2 PILGT BURNER SHIELDS William J. Kuhn,Springfield, and Paul E. Maurice, Ludlow, Mass, assignors to I leathathManufacturing (Zornpany, Ind, Springfield, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Filed July 29, 1%3, Ser. No. 298,119 5 Claims. (Cl.158-115) This invention relates to a new and improved pilot burnershield. More particularly this invention relates to a new and improvedpilot burner shield which will effectively prevent the pilot flame frombeing extinguished by air currents and drafts while at the same timeproviding effective means for insuring ignition of the main burner.

In many installations it is essential that means be provided forpreventing the extinguishment of the pilot flame used in igniting aburner. For example, where the burners are in an inaccessible locationthe extinguishment of the pilot light not only causes a greatinconvenience, but also creates a potentially dangerous situation. Thusin brooders, for example, it is necessary that the brooder be maintainedat a predetermined temperature. It is also necessary in suchinstallations that the main burner be ignited when desired. However,while protection of the pilot flame is a desideratum such protectioncannot be at the expense of effective ignition of main burner. Thepresent invention provides a new and improved pilot shield whichsatisfies both objectives.

In accordance with this invention means are provided for shielding thepilot light wherein the pilot light cannot be extinguished by drafts orair currents which includes means for directing the gas from the mainburner to the pilot burner to thereby ignite the main burner As embodiedherein, a pilot burner A pilot shield is mounted in a position wherebyit surrounds the pilot and extends above the pilot flame. In this mannetthe pilot flame is protected from all but the top in:

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,combinations and improvements shown and described.

In view of the foregoing it is an object of this invention to provide anew and improved pilot burner shield which protects the pilot burnerfrom extinguishment by drafts or air currents and which also eflectivelyignites the main burner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pilotburner shield that protects the pilot flame from drafts and aircurrents.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved pilotburner shield that protects the pilot flame from drafts or air currentswhich includes means for directing gas from the main burner and directsthem to the pilot burner.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows and in part will be obvious from thedescription or may be learned from practice of the invention, theobjects and advantages being realized and attained by means of the thepresent invention.

instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theclaims.

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification illustrate one embodiment of the inventionand together with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

Of the drawing:

FiGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device embodying thepresent invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the device shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the present invention is adapted for use with a bartype gas burner 2 having a plurality of longitudinally spaced small gasemitting openings 4. The invention is obviously not limited to anyparticular form of the main burner.

In accordance with this invention means are provided for mounting thepilot lighter and pilot burner shield in a predetermined position.

As embodied, this means comprises a frame or base 6 having an openingtherein through which the pilot burner 8 extends. The pilot burner perse can be of any conventional construction and forms no part of Thepilot burner shield of the present invention comprises a substantiallyrectangular body 10 adapted to fit in close contact with thesubstantially rectangular base 6 on the frame of the pilot burnerlight.As illustrated herein, the pilot burner shield is made of a heatresistant material and is formed from two substantially U shaped blanksof sheet metal (see FIG. 2). The legs of the U shaped members are joinedtogether by welding as shown at 12. The invention, however, is obviouslynot limited to this particular form of construction.

Conveniently the pilot shield is made of some heat resistant materialsuch as stainless steel and its dimensions are about /a x 1 /2 x 2%inches. These dimensions are, of course, dependent upon the size of thepilot burner with which it is used and can be varied accordingly.

The pilot shield of the present invention has an inlet opening 14adjacent the main burner which is of a shape and size such that thelower surface thereof is about in tangential relationship with theuppersurface 16 of the main burner tube. The opening can be formed in acon venient manner such as by punching a small rectangularly can, butdoes not necessarily, constitute the portion ipunched out of thesidewall of the shield 10 realized in forming the opening 14. The lipincludes two surfaces 20 which are inclined. downwardly from the centerridge 22. The lip 18 as a whole is inclined downwardly from the side ofthe burner shield 16.

As embodied and shown most clearly in FIG. 3 the main burner is providedwith at least one aperture 24 located directly beneath the lip 18 and inalignment with the ridge 22 of the lip 18. For reasons to be more fullyset forth hereinafter the location of the lip with respect to the mainburner is an important consideration.

The construction of the lip 18 is such that it will acciunulate gasescoming from the openings in the main burner which will be ignited by thepilot burner. This result is achieved as a consequence of therelationship between the main burner 2, the pilot burner shield.

The pilot burner shield 10 extends upwardly so that its vertical heightis above the vertical height of the pilot burner flame (see e.g. FIG. 1)and terminates in a a) discharge opening 26. In this way the burnershield in conjunction with the pilot burner light creates an upwardlymoving mass of air and a pressure differential between the top and thebottom of the shield. Thus the pressure within. the shield at the bottomthereof is lower than the pressure within shield at, the upper portionthereof. Consequently there is a continuously upwardly directed mass ofair within the pilot burner shield. The upwardly rushing mass of aircreates a venturi effect on the opening 14 which, in combination withthe lip 13, creates a partial vacuum directly above the main burner 2.

Thus when gas is fed into the main burner tube 2 and passes throughopening 24 it is immediately drawn upwardly as a result of the partialvacuum and directed by the inclined surfaces and the ridge 22 of the lip18 through the opening 14 and toward the pilot burner 8, and the fluegases are discharged through the discharge opening 26. The gas of themain burner is ignited therefore whereupon the flame travels the lengthof the main burner tube.

The pilot burner shield W of the present invention effectively preventsdrafts or air currents from extinguish ing the flame of the pilot burnerin that the pilot light is protected in all but one direction. Inaccomplishing this result the pilot burner shield, in conjunction withthe ,lipconstructi'on, accumulates gas for ignition of the main burnerand the location of the lip is such that the lip is, when the mainburner is ignited, located in a blue flame and thus does not collectsoot and carbon black which could prevent eflective ignition of the mainburner.

It is understood that the invention in its broader aspects is notlimited to the specific elements shown and described, but also includeswithin the scope of the accompanying claims any departures made fromsuch elements which do not sacrifice its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

'1. In combination, a main gas burner including at least one gas outlet,a pilot burner having at least one gas outlet, a substantiallyimpervious shield open at the top, means for mounting said pilot burneradjacent to and extending slightly higher than said main burner, saidshield being mounted in surrounding relationship to said pilot burnerand extending considerably higher than said pilot burner, said shieldhaving an opening therein, means protruding from said shield above theopening and extending towards the main burner, for deflecting gas fromthe main burner towards the pilot burner, said opening being in a 2. Adevice as defined in claim 1 wherein said means protruding from theshield is a lip at the top of said opening which extends toward saidmain burner, said lip in cluding two inclined surfaces forming a ridgein said lip.

3. In combination, a main gas burner having at least one gas outlet anda pilot gas burner having at least one gas outlet, a substantiallyimpervious shield open at the top mounted in surrounding relationship tosaid pilot burner and extending substantially above said pilot burnerfor protecting said pilot burner flame from drafts, means for mountingsaid pilot burner within said shield adjacent to and extending slightlyhigher than said gas outlet in the main burner, an opening in saidshield, means protruding from said shield above the opening andextending towards the main burner, for deflecting gas from the mainburner towards the pilot burner, said opening being adjacent to andslightly higher than said gas outlet in said main burner so that gasfrom the main burner is sucked through said opening and directed to saidpilot burner.

t. In combination, a main gas burner and a pilot gas burner, means formounting said pilot gas burner adjacent to and extending slightly higherthan said main gas burner, a substantially impervious shield for thepilot burner flame, said shield being mounted in surroundingrelationship to and extending substantially above said pilot burner andhaving an open end at the upper end thereof, said shield having arelatively small opening in the side adjacent to said main burner, meansprotruding from said shield above the opening and extending towards themain burner, for deflecting gas from the main burner towards the pilotburner, said opening being in a position higher than said main burnerand lower than the upper end of said pilot burner so that gas is drawnfrom the main burner into said small opening and towards said pilotburner flame.

5. in combination, a main gas burner and a pilot gas burner, means formounting said pilot gas burner adjacent to and extending above said maingas burner, a substantially impervious shield for the pilot burnerflame, said shield being mounted in surrounding relationship to andextending substantially above said pilot burner, said shield having arelatively small inlet opening in the side adjacent to said main burner,means protruding from said shield above the opening and extendingtowards the main burner, for deflecting gas from the main burner towardsthe pilot burner, said opening being in a position higher than said mainburner and lower than the upper end of said pilot burner, and adischarge opening in said shield positioned so that the lowermostextremity thereof is substantially above the highest extremity of saidinlet opening so that a low pressure zone is created adjacent to saidpilot burner opening inside of said shield and a high pressure Zone iscreated adjacent said discharge opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,856 9/ O5Willson. 1,679,298 7/28 Evans 158113 X 1,996,434- 4/35 ODowd. 2,896,7037/59 Weber 158-115 3,122,195 2/64 Kimmel et al 1587 FREDERICK L.MATTESON, JR., PrimaryExaminer.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, CHARLES SUKALO,

Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,202,202 August 24, 1965 William J. Kuhn et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 4, line 52, for 799,856"-read 799,956

Signed and sealed this 26th day of April 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN COMBINATION, A MAIN GAS BURNER INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE GAS OUTLET,A PILOT BURNER HAVING AT LEAST ONE GAS OUTLET, A SUBSTANTIALLYIMPERVIOUS SHIELD OPEN AT THE TOP, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID PILOT BURNERADJACENT TO AND EXTENDING SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN SAID MAIN BURNER, SAIDSHIELD BEING MOUNTED IN SURROUNDING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID PILOT BURNERAND EXTENDING CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN SAID PILOT BURNER, SAID SHIELDHAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, MEANS PROTRUDING FROM SAID SHIELD ABOVE THEOPENING AND EXTENDING TOWARDS THE MAIN BURNER, FOR DEFLECTING GAS FROMTHE MAIN